Here is page 39 of the WWII ration cookbook titled “Recipes For Today” that was published by General Foods Corporation in 1943. This was during the second world war when the United States was experiencing food rations and shortages (sugar, meat, etc.) and homemakers were looking for creative ways to feed their families.

You can view all the pages in this little book by visiting this category: Recipes For Today (WWII), just click a page title to view that section of the book. You’ll find scans of the pages included below (click pictures to view a larger size) as well as a typed version for easy printing.

WINDOW BOX HERBS

If you have a sunny window box or a garden corner near the kitchen door you can grow many delightful flavors in herbs.

Chives, parsley, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory, sweet basil, thyme, and rose geranium are all suitable and need only well-drained, workable soil, weeding, and cultivation. Mint grows almost anywhere but likes damp soil and room for spreading. Sage grows readily in the dry, warm garden with some shade.

TO DRY HERBS, tie stalks with leaves loosely in small bunches; hang in well ventilated sunny room or attic. (Parsley should be dried on trays in the oven, repeating several times.) After several day’s drying, strip off leaves and rub them through a sieve, or pound in a mortar. Store in tightly covered glass jars.

TO USE HERBS, use small amounts to give interesting flavor, not enough to dominate the dish. A pinch of dried herbs may be added to hot dishes at any time. Fresh herbs should be added near the end of the cooking period, for when overcooked, fresh herbs often become bitter. Herbs should be added to cold dishes well ahead of serving, for the flavor develops slowly.

Basil. Use in salads, with tomatoes, peas, potatoes, eggs, beef, in black bean or turtle soup, and fish sauces.

Celery leaves, too should be saved, washed, drained, and spread on trays to dry. Use in soups, stews, stuffings, and loaves.

Chives. Use in salads, cheese and egg dishes, with new potatoes, mashed potatoes, on fish, or in soup.

Mint. Use in salads, slaw, fruit drinks, with carrots, new potatoes, peas, in pea soup, stuffings, and sauces for lamb.

Mint vinegar. Bruise fresh mint leaves to fill a glass jar loosely. Fill jar with vinegar, cover, and let stand 2 weeks. Drain.

Marjoram. Use with meats, especially veal and chicken, with pork and lamb, fish, in soups, stuffing, with spinach, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, cream cheese.

Parsley. Use in salads, sauces, soups. Also as a garnish.

Rose geranium. Use as scent or in jelly. (Place leaf in jelly glass.)

Rosemary. Use with all meats, especially lamb and veal, and a pinch in salads. Also in sweet sauces.

Sage. Use in stuffing, with pork, with onions, in cheese making.

Savory. Use in salads, with beans and peas, meat, and as garnish.

Thyme. Use in stuffings, with beef and onion dishes, in mayonnaise, with peas, carrots, cheese.

• Just a drop, a sprinkling, are these Recipes for Today. But let them grow. They’ll be Grand Strategy for your kitchen, and help you back up Uncle Sam.